Blockchain provides data storage in a decentralized fashion, by keeping the data in a series of data blocks having precedence relationship between each other. The chain of blocks is maintained and updated by a network of nodes, which are also responsible for validating the data. More recently, blockchain has expanded to provide a framework for execution of blockchain contracts (e.g., smart contracts), which include contractual terms between users written in lines of code. The blockchain contract may be a computer protocol intended to digitally facilitate, verify, or enforce the negotiation or performance of a contract. To handle the blockchain contracts, each node of the blockchain network runs a corresponding virtual machine (VM) and executes the same instructions. A VM is a software emulation of a computer system based on computer architectures that provides functionality of a physical computer. VM in the blockchain context can be understood as a system designed to operate as a runtime environment for blockchain contracts.
Currently, each blockchain system typically supports one type of VM and one corresponding programming language. For example, Ethereum supports Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM) which requires programming in solidity (a contract-oriented programming language for writing blockchain contracts implemented by EVM). This prevents the acceptance of blockchain contracts written in other program languages, such as c++, java, and python, and turns away users who have not yet mastered the solidity language. If the blockchain system tries to integrate multiple VMs, the cost inevitably rises and data format compatibleness becomes an issue. Thus, it is desirable to provide a mechanism that supports blockchain contracts written in different programming languages and corresponding to different VMs.